Interest in food, alcohol, and the "pleasures of life" (for grey/demi/asexuals)

[Suistar]

So, I heard a theory that asexuals are generally less interested in food, alcohol, and the so-called "pleasures of life" (basically, sensory stuff). Basically, the idea goes that we're not just less interested in sex, but are generally less interested in other sensations our bodies can give us.

I'm not trying to distinguish between asexuals who experience sexual desire in any form and those who don't - I imagine in a proper study you'd need to do that to make the results clear.

Finally there's a study comparing the amount people think about sex to sleep as well as food, so I thought I'd put sleep in as well! (Basically, college-age people think about food and sleep as much as they think about sex.)

I'm really curious to see the answers to this.

[nerdperson777]

Great poll! I fit in the not caring about food, drinking, and sensing. Maybe there's a correlation in all of this, can't wait. (That college age thing obviously can't apply to me. :P)

[ShyFeather]

I don't know if you're going to get very clear answers with these questions. For instance, I love to bake and draw. They're activities I enjoy. Of course I'm going to be very interested in these things (though I can say sometimes I don't even want to eat what I bake; I just wanted to bake something). I guess you would have to find a way to separate enjoyable activities from sensory inputs that cause pleasure.

[LeaveOnYourColours]

First of all, thank you for linking the study :D!

Secondly, I consider myself a very sensory and sensual person. I am a music fanatic, when I'm not listening to music, I am thinking about a song or even tend to sing narrate my actions. I've always loved food and cooking, and thusly, the scents and tastes and feelings associated with it. I also tend to be really interested in human smells, but not colognes or perfumes. I love sensual experiences as well, which I find to be very linked to smells of people. I like touch a lot and I find touching sensitive, non-genital areas interesting and fun and connecting I guess is the best word I know. I am a student, any wink of sleep I canget is extremely welcomed. As for alcohol, I can't yet legally drink in the states, but I'm neutral on it. I had a little alcohol in Europe but it's not hugely important to me. I don't really love the concept of being ”under the influence” either.

I've always thought that I've found these pleasures so great that my interest in sex was small. Like sex could never compare to how amazing I find nonsexual sensory and sensual experiences.

[Guest]

I like alcohol but not for the purposes of getting drunk, I LOVE everything else on the list though. I love good food, good music, good art and just good...everything. And simple pleasures like the smell of bread. Mmmmmmmmmmm

[Guest]

Very interested in tasty food and drinks, not interested in alcohol and especially getting drunk, fairly interested (sometimes very) in getting good sleep, fairly interested in art and aesthetics, very interested in good music (especially OST's), sometimes (if not often) I enjoy the sound of the weather, the feeling of fresh cool air and the smell of baked bread, coffee, etc.

[WhenSummersGone]

Alcohol and weed (drugs) are things that I don't like. Arts, music, food, sleep and nature I like. However some smells and the feel of some things can be too much.

[Blacky]

I love food, nature, a good sleep and all that just as much as the next person, but I am exceedingly disinterested in booze. I don't understand the attraction haha! I'd rather drink juice, pop or tea any day of the week. (Or good ol' water!)

[kelico]

"Very much" for all except alcohol/getting drunk (not at all! I've had one sip of beer in my entire life, and I hated it...never again lol!). And "a fair amount" for sleep...as I have a love/hate relationship with it lol.

[Ace-TheTimelordsCompanion]

I had never come across so many others who didn't drink. Untill I came to Aven. Generally people give me a lot more crap about not drinking, than about not sexing (but it IS harder to hide not drinking. They may just think I'm 'private about my sex life' haha.)

[Christinanc93]

I am asexual, anti-sexual even, but I love all of these things. Well, not getting drunk, but there is some alcohol I really enjoy not drinking too much of. I rather enjoy the taste. I love nature, music, art, food, all of it. I just hate sex, and that is ok.

[Suistar]

I don't know if you're going to get very clear answers with these questions. For instance, I love to bake and draw. They're activities I enjoy. Of course I'm going to be very interested in these things (though I can say sometimes I don't even want to eat what I bake; I just wanted to bake something). I guess you would have to find a way to separate enjoyable activities from sensory inputs that cause pleasure.

It's really hard to get clear results with just a simple poll, anyway. Ideally you'd have a proper study where you correlate each person's interest in/desire for/... sex with their interest in other sensory things... And you'd also have a much longer think about what sensory experience is anyway.

I did try my best to separate the sensory experience from the activity, sorry if it's still not very clear! (Any suggestions for rephrasing it?)

I had never come across so many others who didn't drink. Untill I came to Aven. Generally people give me a lot more crap about not drinking, than about not sexing (but it IS harder to hide not drinking. They may just think I'm 'private about my sex life' haha.)

Yeah, I've seen this a couple of times on AVEN, that many asexuals aren't interested in drinking. I wonder why those two things link? I suppose things they have in common are pressure from society (i.e. you should drink, have sex etc.), losing control (so I'm told, for sex, anyway)... anything else?

[(Deleted)]

I'm someone who's very into all of these things, actually. I over-eat. I like drinking alcohol a little too much. (these are mental issuess though) Music is what gets me through, so I feel most happy when I'm listening to my favourite bands. I play the drums as well! I'm overexcited and very passionate about it.

As for senses, it very much depends. I connect certain things like smell to memory. So if it holds something bad, I might end up in a panic attack. Things are very vivid to me which isn't always a good thing. Rain makes me feel calm. I like smell of it, too.

Also, sleeping. I could always do with more sleeping.

[Ace Griff]

This is really interesting. My answers are all in the most voted options, except for the last one.

Food and sleep are always important.

And I'm happy to see that many people don't enjoy being drunk as well.

[Skycaptain]

Interesting survey, and the results so far appear to disprove the hypothesis. I can see why. If the human brain is not obsessively thinking about sex 24/7 then there is a far greater capacity for other cognitive trains. By the same token it is logical that pleasure sensing areas of the brain not being activated by the sensory stimuli of sexual activity will compensate by having a lower trigger threshold for activation by other pleasures. The AVEN adage that a cake is a good substitute for sex is a case in point. The cake will trigger sight, smell, taste and touch sensors, and maybe sound as well, basically every sense that sexual activity would stimulate.

[Mycroft is Yourcroft]

I love the many pleasures of life, many of which you included :3

Fine food, wine, music, decor, surround... sounds good to me!

[Suistar]

I suppose I'm not overly interested in food, especially - not that nice food isn't nice, but I never get chocolate cravings or anything, and I can happily do without. So I especially when I heard that theory I wondered whether my lack of interest in food (compared to most people - maybe this idea of craving chocolate is another society pressure, like "craving" sex??) was linked with my asexuality... Seems like in general, it's not :)

So for me personally, eating cake wouldn't come anywhere near the descriptions of what sex is supposed to be like. I mean, it's a nice taste, but it's not going to send me into raptures...

[FiddleKid]

I like good foods, not mad on alcohol but do drink occasionally, sleep is a must, good music is a must, aesthetics and sensory experiences are also enjoyable.

[Squirrel Combat]

I LOVE EVERYTHING! Except the alcohol part.

I'm around grass so often that I take it for granted, however.

[PlanetF]

I'm amazed by the general disgust for alcohol! That's very interesting indeed. I love food, but barely drink alcohol and don't get drunk. I like pretty much all other sensual experiences though.

[Blinkin]

I never ever got the idea of the need to become drunk to have fun. I also never have been drunk but at great fun with friends. But I didn't expect to see so many people here voting the same about alcohol.

And I also do like food very much like most of you here. Als something I wouldn't expect. suddenly I feel way lees a minority (mainly because lots of same age people around me don't understand me about the alcoholics stuff).

[The_Verse]

I am super-sensory but hate drunkenness, even in other people.

[kisstherain]

I absolutely love sleeping. And I also love food, cooking, baking and eating, haha. And music is actually one of the things that keep me alive.

But I hate drinking and alcohol! I hate that everyone says that you have to drink to have fun, I think it's actually quite boring.

Sometimes I wish I could spend the whole day sitting in the promenade, looking at the water and the sky, feeling the breeze in my face, while I listen to some music :)

[Hikuroi]

The only things from that I'm really interested in would be music and nature, I love taking walks through nature trails with a good friend. Soft or smooth textures can be relaxing but I like music and nature a lot more. Any kind of good smell is fine but looking at food or eating often makes me nauseous and I don't really like sleeping since I have nightmares pretty often, less than when I was in high school but still a lot.

[Sutaomiiru]

Holy smoke, we aces really do not seem to like alcohol. I wonder if I can use this information to prove my sexuality to Dad.

[blacktea]

Nice survey. I love good food. I enjoy an occasional drink but I do not like drunkenness, I got drunk once and hated the feeling. Being a college student, having a job and doing sports I relish every hour of sleep I can get. I love the arts, particularly music and all sorts of music. I also enjoy sensory experiences, it is one of my favorite parts of being a bike commuter. And I like smells when I can get them, I broke my nose over 10 years ago that damaged the nerves so I can hardly smell at all, so I get excited when I smell anything, even if it is a bad smell and sometimes I can't identify what I'm smelling.

[VindicatorPhoenix]

I sometimes eat chocolate, drink Sprite and deafen myself with loud music. 8)

[MarieIsEatingTacobell]

I'm all about food. Good food equals a good time for me. I just recently went to my best friend's grad party and did nothing but eat all day (hey her mom makes amazing food okay!)

I like alcoholic drinks very much, but I seldom drink. It's usually only during the holidays and I've only been drunk twice in my life. That of which was most certainly not on purpose.

Getting a good sleep is important to me mostly because I can't do it. Between my anxiety and now a days my asthma, it's almost impossible for me to sleep right.

I live for other people's arts. Paintings, music, writing, tv, video games, you name it. Art that genuinely makes me feel emotion makes me so so happy.

I answered "a fair amount" on sensory because while I don't put much importance on good textures, something with a bad texture sends my nerves up a wall. Just thinking about the feel of cardboard is making my spine shiver, I hate it. Stuff like that, just, no.

[Pengwyn]

I like tasty food very much. I don't like getting drunk, but I do enjoy going out and drinking with friends. I very much like getting a good night sleep. I don't really care for art, but I do like human aesthetics a fair amount. I quite like music, and enjoy nature. As for other sensory experiences, I like them very much (I love the smell of fresh bread, and the smell, sound and sight of fire).

[Grumpy Alien]

I like food, sleeping, and art. Other stuff is meh.